The curse of the CHAMPIONS continues

2014 World Champions GERMANY is eliminated in the group stages of the 2018 FIFA World Cup !!

Germany are the fourth defending champions to be eliminated from the group stage at the World Cup in the last five tournaments (also France 2002, Italy 2010, Spain 2014). It seems that it a curse of the Champions. Repeatedly every World Cup winner in recent years have failed to progress beyond the group stage.

What went wrong for Germany?

Germans are the third successive World Cup champions to fall at the first hurdle in their title defence. A dramatic and shocking 2-0 defeat in Kazan proving the deserved death knell. Their loss to Mexico was due to lack of cohesion between defence and midfield when coming up against counter-attacks. But there is little excuse for failing to even score against a Korea side who came into the game without a point.

Low shuffled his pack in Kazan, making five alterations to the team which just about scraped past Sweden. Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Mats Hummels, Niklas Sule and Leon Goretzka made the starting XI.

Ozil was dropped due to his performance against Mexico. But Low was annoyed by a lack of creativity on show in the clash with Sweden. But even with Ozil’s restoration, Germany looked sapped of craft and ingenuity in the final third. Ozil appeared their best route to goal in the first half. His silken touches, clever turns and intricate line-splitting passes exhibited on several occasions. But around him Germany offered precious little. Marco Reus drifted ineffectively. Goretzka struggled out wide and was sloppy in the middle. While Khedira again looked hapless in the final third.

On top of that, Joshua Kimmich endured a difficult time when pushing forward from right-back. His crosses invariably going straight out of play or too far to find a team-mate.

There were a couple of instances of promise early in the second period. Goretzka and Timo Werner going close following good deliveries from Ozil and Kimmich. But it was hardly the start of an imperious onslaught. Germany still needed more, their combination of slow movement and laborious thinking in the final third causing their chances of avoiding embarrassment to diminish by the minute.

The amounting pressure at the end minutes because of Sweden winning the other match.

With Sweden unexpectedly cruising against Mexico, Germany’s forays forward became more and more desperate to score. While Son Heung-min led a spirited counter for a Korea side really starting to threaten on the break. When you play with less urgency than a side that considers its own chances to be minimal, you know you have a problem. Structural issues have blighted Germany’s campaign and Korea’s late surges again showed them to be tearing at the seams. Shin’s men took full advantage – Kim Young-gwon scoring from close range in the second minute of stoppage time, before Son rounded things off with Manuel Neuer caught up the pitch.

Man of the match

Jo Hyeonwoo, the South Korean goalkeeper was superb, and made a number of key saves to dash German hopes.

The post-match data made for miserable reading for fans on Die Mannschaft – Germany. Here we take a look at the Opta facts that Low will be keen to avoid

Germany are the fourth defending champions to be eliminated from the group stage at the World Cup in the last five tournaments (also France 2002, Italy 2010, Spain 2014).

This is only the second time that Germany have been eliminated from the first round at the World Cup. The last was in 1938. However, this is the first time it has happened when the first round has been in a group stage format.

Germany’s tally of two goals scored at this World Cup is the second fewest managed by a defending champion in the competition, only ahead of France’s zero in 2002.

This was Germany’s first defeat against an Asian nation in a World Cup match in what was their sixth such match.

Germany have failed to score in two of their three World Cup games in 2018, as many as their previous 15 World Cup matches combined.

This was South Korea’s first clean sheet at the World Cup since a 2-0 win over Greece in 2010; they had gone eight without a shutout before this match.

South Korea beat Germany in a World Cup match for the first time, having lost each of the previous two meetings in the competition.

Son Heung-min’s goal for South Korea (95:52) was the latest goal Germany have ever conceded in a World Cup match (excluding extra-time).

Since the 2010 edition, Germany have lost both of their World Cup matches in which Thomas Muller has not started (also lost 0-1 to Spain in the 2010 semi-final), compared to 80 per cent when he has started (12 wins in 15 games).

Author’s take

This is the worst German defence that we have seen in recent years. The players lacked the hunger for goals and winning matches. They lacked dynamism. There was no creativity among the players execpt a few. But from a team like Germany we don’t except few creativites. We are used to seeing perfect passing and attacking football from the Germans. But this time they lacked that. They had more possession in all the three games. But possession don’t win you games unless you use the possession to score goals. They lacked a good striker like Klose, their all time leading goalscorer. There was no notable movement in the final third. The Germans were out of idea. The retirement of big names and great leaders like Lahm and Schweinsteiger were felt. Their boots seemed to be irreplacable in this World Cup.

But there is nothing to worry. The Germans are famous for their NEVER SAY DIE attitude. So we can be sure of a great comeback from them.